Exclusive economic zone of Japan

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Japan's exclusive economic zones:

  Japan's EEZ

  Joint regime with the Republic of Korea

  EEZ claimed by Japan, disputed by other nations

Japan has the eighth-largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the world.^[1] The total area of Japan is about 377,975.24 km².^[2] Japan's EEZ area is vast and the territorial waters (including the Seto Inland Sea) and EEZ together is about 4.48 million km².^[3]

Geography[]

Relief map of the seabed near Japan and the Japanese islands

The Japanese Archipelago consists of about 6,852 islands. The Exclusive Economic Zone of Japan includes:

History[]

In the 18th century, Dutch law scholar Cornelius van Bynkershoek wrote in his book "De Dominio Maris Dissertatio" (1702) that the coastal states control the waters within the range of cannons carried on warships of the time. This theory was supported by many countries, and the idea of having three nautical miles from the coastline as the territorial sea was established.

In the 20th century, there have emerged examples of extending the scope of territorial waters, or claiming similar rights in areas beyond the territorial waters. These claims were advocated by Dr. Pardeau, UN Ambassador of the Republic of Malta, at the Second United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1967. However, Japan, which was an advanced pelagic fishing country, took an opposing position because "wide open seas and narrow territorial waters" matched her national interests at the time.

But later, exploiting the absence of a Japanese EEZ, neighboring countries such as South and North Korea, China and Soviet Union entered the offshore fishing industry and began operating off the coast of Shimane and Tottori Prefectures, making the situation disadvantageous to Japan.^[6][7] Therefore, in 1982, Japan supported the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) when it was created at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and it came into effect in 1994.

The treaty gives Japan the right to explore and develop marine and non-living resources such as mineral resources, within 200 nautical miles of their coastline, and at the same time she is obligated to manage them and prevent marine pollution.

The Japanese government signed the treaty in February 1983 and ratified it in the Diet in June 1996.

Law Enforcement and Security[]

Japan has contributed to three UNCLOS organizations such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) and the International Seabed Authority (ISA).^[8]

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) are responsible for protecting the EEZ of Japan. As an island nation, dependent on maritime trade for the majority of its resources, including food and raw materials, maritime operations are a very important aspect of Japanese defense policy.

The exclusive economic zone only recognizes the economic, scientific and environmental jurisdiction of the coastal countries and entry of a foreign fishing vessel into the EEZ is not automatically illegal. With regard to the above, a law (fishing sovereignty law, EEZ Fisheries Law) concerning the exercise of sovereign rights regarding fisheries, etc. in the exclusive economic zone (in Japanese) that regulates fisheries of foreigners within the exclusive economic zone of Japan is established.

Under the law, fines of 30 million yen or less will be imposed on foreign vessels which conducted unauthorized operation or operation on prohibited waters in the EEZ. It is also a violation of the above law when a foreign fishing vessel escapes by avoiding on-site inspections by fishery supervisor/fishing supervisors onboard a fisheries patrol boat (漁業取締船) of the Fisheries Agency, or by the JCG. In this case, a fine of 3 million yen or less will be imposed. Also, the collateral for early release under the bond system is set to the same amount as the fine, and an additional collateral of 6 million yen per kg of illegal coral is set for illegal coral collection.

Increased grey-zone challenges from Japan's neighbors have resulted in greater dependence on the JCG, providing a response that can be more easily resolved diplomatically, and able to justify politically, rather than with an overt military response by the JMSDF.^[9][10][11]

Response to foreign ballistic missiles[]

Anti-ballistic missiles for defense are very expensive, costing 500 million to 2 billion yen per shot. So the launched ballistic missiles are ignored when it is known by radar that they will land on where damage to Japanese nationals and assets are not expected. Also, the nationwide warning system, (J-Alert) will only issue a warning if it is determined that the missile will enter into Japanese territory or waters. J-Alert will not be used when the missile will fall somewhere in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

Disputes[]

Japan has disputes over its EEZ boundaries with all its Asian neighbors (China, Russia, South Korea, and Taiwan), including its claim of an EEZ around Okinotorishima. The above, and relevant maps at the Sea Around Us Project,^[12][13][14] both indicate Japan's claimed boundaries.

Japan also refers to various categories of "shipping area" – Smooth Water Area, Coasting Area, Major or Greater Coasting Area, Ocean Going Area – but it is unclear whether these are intended to have any territorial or economic implications.

See also[]

• Geography of Japan

References[]